• Question: What type of blood disorders are you talking about?

    Asked by to Claire on 20 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Claire Shooter

      Claire Shooter answered on 20 Jun 2014:

      The class of blood disorders I study are called haemoglobinopathies. They are the most common group of genetic disorders in the world.

      This group of conditions are all linked because they are caused by genetic mutations affecting haemoglobin: haemoglobin is the molecule that red blood cells use to transport oxygen around your body. The molecule is made up of four building blocks or subunits and in haemoglobinopathies, one of the subunits is either made incorrectly or not made at all. This results in a range of medical issues, depending on which subunit is affected and how badly.

      The most commonly seen haemoglobinopathies which I spend most of my time looking at are Alpha and Beta Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Disease

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